News
Trade Minister urged to initiate process of taking over SLIIT
Sirisena as President presented Cabinet for divestiture
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Communist Party lawmaker Weerakumara Weerasinghe says Bandula Gunawardena, in his capacity as the Trade Minister, should take the lead in regaining the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) divested through fraudulent means.
Appreciating the manner in which the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), under the leadership of Prof. Charitha Herath, had handled the inquiry into the SLIIT acquisition, Matara District lawmaker Weerasinghe said the onus was on the government to take remedial measures immediately.
“We should go the whole hog,” MP Weerasinghe said, adding that the Cabinet could take over the SLIIT on its own or through an Act of Parliament. Asked to explain why the Communist Party felt Minister Gunawardena should initiate the process of reacquiring the SLIIT, MP Weerasinghe pointed out that the Mahapola Higher Education Trust Fund coming under the purview of the Trade Ministry had made the initial investment amounting to Rs 500mn in the project.
SLIIT has been described as a leading non-state higher education institute approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the Universities Act.
MP Weerasinghe pointed out COPE disclosure that the SLIIT had declined to appear before the parliamentary watchdog committee. According to the COPE, Julius& Creasy Law firm has informed Parliament that SLIIT is not legally bound to do so. The COPE decided to summon the law firm to resolve the matter.
The Board of Directors of SLIIT consists of Prof. Lakshman L. Ratnayake (Chairman), Prof. Lalith Gamage (President/CEO), Prof. Nimal Rajapakse, Thilan M. Wijesinghe, Reshan Dewapura, Jehan Amaratunga and Fr. Harsha Cabral.
Responding to another query, MP Weerasinghe said that he had dealt with the issues at hand in Parliament last Friday (22) during the adjournment debate moved by the government on COPE reports submitted on March 10, 2021 and April 06, 2021.
MP Weerasinghe told Parliament Minister Gunawardena should immediately act on COPE disclosure. “All of us should be ashamed of what is going on in this country. In spite of repeated promises to eliminate waste, corruption and irregularities, corruption is on the march,” Weerasinghe said.
Responding to another query, MP Weerasinghe said that the privatisation process had been initiated in2003 during the UNP-led UNF administration. That process had been completed during the UNP-SLFP administration, the CP member said, pointing out that the then President Maithripala Sirisena had submitted the relevant Cabinet paper.
MP Weerasinghe said that the two COPE reports that had been debated in Parliament should be submitted to the Cabinet of ministers. According to him, the Education Minister, in his capacity as the Leader of the House, could submit those reports to the Cabinet of ministers to pave the way for their direct intervention.
Weerasinghe paid a glowing tribute to the Office of the Attorney General and COPE chiefs such as D. E. W. Gunasekera, Sunil Handunetti and incumbent Prof. Charitha Herath for taking action to curb waste, corruption and irregularities.
Lawmaker Weerasinghe said that parliamentary watchdog committees should ensure follow-up action on their disclosures. MP Weerasinghe said that a section of the then UNP governments (2002-2003 and 2015-2019) facilitated the gradual SLIIT takeover contrary to what was proposed by Ministers Kingsley T. Wickramanayake and Richard Pathirana way back in 1998. MP Weerasinghe said that the original plan was to make the SLIIT part of the University of Moratuwa. The governing board was to be represented by representatives from the Ministries of Education and Higher Education, Internal and International Commerce and Food, University of Moratuwa and the Mahapola Trust Fund.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
